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Watching the White Wave soldiers swarm from the breach in the city wall like so many blood-sucking leeches, Fei Qian suddenly felt his originally somewhat chaotic state of mind inexplicably grow calm.
That's just how things were. When faced with multiple choices, one might waver, torn between gains and losses, uncertain of the path. But if all choices vanished, leaving only one option ahead, then the only thing to do was to strive to execute that single remaining choice to the absolute best of one's ability!
"Archers forward, ready!... Loose!" Fei Qian commanded.
Fei Qian needed to buy Huang Cheng a little time to finish equipping, while also suppressing the White Wave soldiers who had charged too far ahead and had become somewhat scattered.
Archers were not something Fei Qian lacked. Han Chinese soldiers might require a period of training to become qualified archers, but the recruited Hu people would be embarrassed to show their faces if they didn't possess decent archery skills.
Hu people who could draw and shoot bows from horseback naturally found it even easier on level ground. The thirty or so Hu men remaining with Fei Qian all nocked arrows and let fly, immediately felling the twenty-odd White Wave soldiers at the forefront.
At around fifty meters, arrows possessed immense kinetic energy, even comparable to modern pistol bullets, with a tremendous stopping effect. Instantly, the White Wave's frenzied momentum was checked. Those at the very front frantically tried to dodge to the sides of the street, only to find both sides piled high with the chaotic rubble of collapsed buildings. A slight touch would send a cascade of broken stones and yellow earth clattering down. Even trying to find footing to climb risked stepping into empty air. There was simply nowhere to take cover.
Hu Cai had dismounted and climbed onto the city wall, following his troops. Looking down from his elevated position, he saw this situation and couldn't help but jump and curse, "Hide your balls! Damn it! Charge! Charge up!" Fighting archers by hiding, by maintaining distance—what was that but seeking death?
Yet people are all like this. Everyone knows that against archers, one must close the distance, charge forward. But it's also glaringly obvious that whoever charges the farthest forward tends to die the fastest. So, subconsciously, the mind thinks it's best for others to go first and die, while one follows behind to pick up the spoils…
However, with the military order given, and with Hu Cai's personal guards shouting commands from within the ranks, after two or three men who attempted to climb the street-side rubble were cut down, the remaining White Wave soldiers let out a collective, helpless shout and turned back onto the street to charge forward again!
"Archers, fall back!" Seeing this, Fei Qian ordered the archers to withdraw. He then tilted his head slightly and said to Huang Cheng, who was now fully equipped, "Shuye, I hand it over to you now!"
Huang Cheng's face was hidden behind the faceguard of his helmet. His voice, muffled by the metal, responded, "Lord, rest assured! Now, watch me!" After speaking, he strode forward a few paces and stood firm, shouting loudly, "Form ranks! Meet the enemy!"
A clattering sound of iron plates striking each other in waves rang out. Burly figures emerged from the rear formation, taking their places beside Huang Cheng. They spaced themselves approximately two meters apart in a staggered pattern, forming a loose battle line of six men across and five deep.
Though Huang Cheng and his men did not stand in a tight formation, they effectively blocked the entire street. Each figure stood imposing and unshakable, radiating an aura of solemn authority. They held in both hands a strangely shaped long blade, whose handle was almost as long as the blade itself…
A-Da, who had lowered his bow and was half-crouched while retreating, glanced back at the swarming White Wave soldiers, a trace of unease still in his heart. He accidentally bumped into a soldier who had already taken his place in the formed-up ranks behind him. Instantly, it felt as if he had collided with a thick, solid pillar. With a cry of "Aiya!", the ranked soldier remained utterly motionless, while A-Da himself fell flat on his rear.
Ah, had he run into a stone pillar? Why did it hurt so much!
Sitting on the ground, clutching his shoulder, A-Da looked up…
The soldier before him stood like a segment of black iron tower. Two large pieces of scale armor hanging from the waist covered the knees, reaching almost down to the shins. Above these leg guards, secured by a four-finger-wide leather belt, was waist armor. And above that was actually an armor coat-like garment, complete with half-sleeves!
Looking further up to the head, A-Da got such a fright that he cried out in alarm, scrambling backward on his hands, exclaiming, "Ah... Ghost!"
The face of the soldier, whose entire body was encased in black iron armor, was revealed to be a ghostly mask!
Blood-red corners of the eyes, deathly pale eyeballs, terrifying fangs, and wisps of white vapor emerging from between those fangs—it was as if a malevolent spirit was ready at any moment to open its maw and devour a person!
The 'malignant ghost' before him lowered its gaze slightly, fixing on A-Da, and let out a puff of white breath…
A-Da nearly wet himself. Shrinking back, limbs drawn in, eyes squeezed shut, his features scrunched together, he felt as if he would be swallowed by the ghost in the next instant.
Although A-Da had never seen a ghost, he knew this was what a ghost looked like!
No! It was even more terrifying than a ghost!
The malignant ghost seemed to speak through gritted teeth, a muffled voice emanating: "Get lost!"
A-Da shuddered all over. Though he didn't understand the Han language, seeing that this ghost didn't seem intent on eating him, he hastily scrambled away on all fours, not daring to even glance back…
If even A-Da reacted this way, the White Wave soldiers facing Huang Cheng and his men head-on were subjected directly to the dreadful pressure of these ghostly masks.
These White Wave soldiers still retained some habits from the Yellow Turban days. They often gathered to talk about mystical, supernatural matters. Some even claimed that the Heavenly Duke General had merely returned to the celestial court for a while and would soon descend again with a new batch of Yellow Turban warriors. Then, they could follow the newly descended Heavenly Duke General to conquer the land, eating rice every day and meat soup with every meal…
Therefore, these White Wave soldiers believed in ghosts and spirits more fervently than ordinary people. Gazing at the rows of heavy infantry in battle formation, they dared not look directly, hesitating and jostling each other. No one dared to charge forward…
Hu Cai's personal guard Er Gouzi stood amidst the crowd, his voice trembling as he shouted, "Don't... don't be afraid! Don't be afraid! Th-that's... those are also men! Men! Go... go on! Go on!"
A group of White Wave soldiers at the front heard this, but merely stretched one foot forward, then pulled it back, then stretched the other foot, alternating like this. They seemed to be moving forward, but their bodies were actually leaning backward…
Er Gouzi grew anxious. Brandishing his war blade, he cursed loudly, "Damn it all! Go on! Go on!"
A voice, its source unclear, came from somewhere within the White Wave ranks: "If you're so capable, Er Gouzi, you damn well go up! Brothers, make way, let Er Gouzi go up!"
The White Wave soldiers subconsciously shrank to the sides, clearing a path through the front ranks for Er Gouzi…
Er Gouzi was instantly dumbfounded, his mouth agape. His hand holding the blade didn't know whether to lower it or not. The whole situation had become terribly awkward for him.
"Er Gouzi, go!" Hu Cai was also behind. Although he too felt a creeping fear in his heart, as a commander, he understood to some extent what these so-called 'Yellow Turban warriors' of the Heavenly Duke General were really about. Suppressing his inner dread, he ordered, "Damn it! Er Gouzi, go! The rest of you must go too! Together, all together, go on!"
Er Gouzi hardened his heart, let out a loud roar to bolster his own courage, raised his blade, and charged out first, pouncing toward Huang Cheng, who stood at the very center…